Plate with Built-In Hole for Cup

ABSTRACT

A plate with a built-in cup holder, designed to be picked up, held, and set down with one hand. Plate has an off-centered hole designed to hold drinking vessels of various sizes. Hole has a slight lip, in the shape of an overturned “V,” around its perimeter, which protects the drinking vessel from food on the plate. This lip is lined on its interior with bumps or ridges or some similar raised elements. The bumps or ridges help hold the drinking vessel in place and also prevent the drinking vessel from getting stuck. A person can hold the plate, with a drinking vessel, by the edge of the plate. When the plate is set down, the cup rises through the hole as the plate is set on the flat surface. The plate can be used with or without a drinking vessel. The plate can be stacked upon a duplicate plate.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

This invention relates to an improvement in plates, which will allow a plate and drinking vessel to be held in one hand.

BACKGROUND Description of Prior Art

At many social functions, such as wedding receptions, galas, parties, picnics, showers, and other occasions, people are offered both food and drink, but no table or similar surface to set them upon. The result is that the person has food on a plate in one hand, and a drink in the other hand, which means the person has to find a surface on which to set one of the items down in order to enjoy his food, shake hands, or in any other way use his hands.

Various attempts have been made to create a plate capable of supporting a drinking vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,700 allows for a hole in the center of a food plate, but there is nothing along the inside wall of said hole to reduce the friction caused when a drinking vessel is inserted. Also, there is no way to stack one of these such plates on top of another, increasing the shipping cost. Also, it is more difficult to support the weight of a drinking vessel in the center of the plate than along the edge, near the bearer's hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,743 allows for a hole in the center of a food plate, but also includes a groove or indention along the bottom rim of the hole. The bearer of the plate must insert his fingers into said groove. This places the entire weight of the plate on the tips of his fingers, which is uncomfortable and unstable. Also, the bearer is forced to use a second hand to pick up or put down the plate.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,982 includes a complicated and elaborate “passthrough” element which increases production cost. When a person picks up this plate he must use two hands: one to pick it up and one to get his arm in the correct position. The plate cannot be lifted or set down with only one hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,672 includes a channel on the underside of the plate, designed to support the bearer's arm as he holds the cup, which is again uncomfortable. Also, once again, the bearer is forced to use two hands to position or set down the plate.

None of these combination plates-with-cup-holders meets all of the criteria of being: easy to hold; easy to use; capable of holding more than one size drinking vessel; able to be picked up, held, and set down with one hand; inexpensive to manufacture and ship; an element to reduce friction between the cup and the cup holder; and capable of multiple embodiments. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A plate, capable of being held with one hand, comprising in combination: (a) a food-bearing surface; and (b) an off-centered hole in said surface designed to hold a drinking vessel.
 2. Wherein plate in claim 1 has a graduated lip or curvature around the perimeter to keep food or other items on the surface.
 3. Wherein hole in claim 1: (a) is off-centered; (b) can hold various size drinking vessels; (c) has a slight lip, in the shape of an overturned “V,” around its perimeter to protect said drinking vessel from food or other items on said plate; said v-shape rises above the surface level of said plate; (d) has bumps, bubbles, ridges, or some similar raised elements along the inside of the lip to prevent said drinking vessel from sticking.
 4. Wherein plate in claim 1 can be of various sizes and made of various materials, so long as the material is of sufficient strength to hold food and drinking vessel, or other items.
 5. Wherein plate in claim 1 can be stacked on top of a duplicate of said plate.
 6. Wherein plate in claim 1 may include partitions for segregating contents of said plate.
 7. Wherein plate in claim 1 can be used as a normal plate without a drinking vessel in place.
 8. Wherein plate in claim 1 may have various rim heights so as to optimally control various types and/or sizes of foodstuffs. 